Golf

The Beachcombers played a 1-2-3 tournament Friday at Eagles Nest. The winners with a score of 108 (-26) were Dennis Keane, Bob Byrne, Reggie Auten and Chris Auten. Finishing second with a score of 117 (-19) were Stu Cleveland, Ed Kinney, Fred Ortiz and Gary Gutheil. Low gross: Jim Pfitzner and Gary Gutheil, 83s. Low nets were Chris Auten at 62, Reggie Auten at 66 and Gary Gutheil at 69. Reggie Auten was voted golfer of the week.

There are many things for which I am thankful. Let me just touch on the highlights of what’s good in my life.

I’m grateful for my husband, Gene, whom I met on a blind date my freshman year at Syracuse University. For years he has put up with me, proofread even my most boring articles and unsold novels, suggested dinner out when he knew I was tired and given me hugs at the exact time I needed them.

Under nearly perfect weather conditions, 23 men and women- teed it up at the Members Club at St. James Plantation in the seventh annual Tournament of Champions on Saturday and Sunday.

After 36 holes, Bill Calhoun, of Sand Piper Bay, and Debbie Holsather, of St. James, emerged victorious. On Saturday, the women teed off on the 10th hole; the men started on hole No. 1. On Sunday, the starting tees were reversed.

The Ocean Ridge Men’s club championship tournament was played Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 on Lion’s Paw and Tiger’s Eye. In the championship flight, Bob Callihan won the title of 2010 Ocean Ridge club champion with a gross score of 158 (+14). Runner-up Dennis Miller shot a gross score of 160. The championship flight played from the white tees on Lion’s Paw and the blue tees on Tiger’s Eye.

During my year and a half in the First Tee of Brunswick County, I have met some incredible players and mentors.

In the summer of 2009, at a First Tee Summer Tour event at Panther’s Run, I had the pleasure to meet Coach Mike Gildea, who is a birdie-level coach. From that point on, we developed a close bond. Over the past week I had the opportunity to interview Coach Mike about golf, his early life and what the First Tee of Brunswick County has meant to him.

The Lockwood Folly Men’s Golf Association played its inaugural President’s Cup match play competition Nov. 1. Forty-eight golfers were split into the Red team and the Blue team.

Each of the 12 matches paired a Blue team white tee player with a gold (forward) tee player against a white and a gold team player from the Red team. Each of the 12 matches consisted of four points: team better ball, team alternate shot and two individual matches.

After four qualifying rounds, the 12 finalists played off for the President’s Cup. There were six players in the low gross competition and six in the low net competition. The finals were played on the Bay course, with nine holes played twice.

On Nov. 13-14, the men’s and women’s club champions from Brunswick County will tee it up in the seventh annual Brunswick Beacon Tournament of Champions. The tournament will take place at the Members Club at St. James Plantation with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Each year, the Brunswick Beacon honors our champions with this special edition. We celebrate the Best of the Best, those men and women who ripped their drives, blasted out of sand and sank putts from 30 feet away.